Model‐based evaluation of agri‐environmental measures in the Federal State of Brandenburg (Germany) concerning N pollution of groundwater and surface water

GIS‐based modeling of soil‐crop interactions and hydrological processes is a valuable instrument to assess land‐use effects on N pollution of water resources from the agricultural sector. A case study is presented using spatial information on soils, climatic zones, land use, and distribution of agri‐environmental measures within the federal State of Brandenburg (Germany) to assess the reduction effect of EU‐funded measures on N pollution of water resources. In a first step, the area was classified concerning the risk for groundwater and surface‐water pollution. For this, spatially distributed model calculations of the soil‐solution exchange frequency were intersected to a vulnerability map for groundwater derived from geological data and zones of different transit times from the root zone into surface waters. In a second step, model calculations of water and N dynamics in the soil‐crop system for different crop and management systems were performed to calculate nitrate leaching from the root zone and to estimate the effect of present agri‐environmental measures to reduce N pollution on groundwater and surface waters. The results indicated that 75% of the agri‐environmental measures were placed in areas with low impact on groundwater and surface waters. Therefore, the effectiveness of the agri‐environmental measures concerning water‐protection aims was moderate.     

Soil management for Alfisols in the semiarid tropics: erosion, enrichment ratios and runoff

Abstract. Continuous cultivation of soils of the semiarid tropics has led to significant land degradation. Soil erosion and nutrient loss caused by high runoff volumes have reduced crop yields and contributed to offsite damage. We compared a number of soil management practices (tillage, mulch and perennial/annual rotational based systems) for their potential to improve crop production and land resource protection in an Alfisol of the semiarid tropics of India. Runoff and soil erosion were monitored and surface soil and sediment were analysed for nitrogen and carbon to determine enrichment ratios. Amelioration of soils with organic additions (farmyard manure, rice straw) or rotating perennial pasture with annual crops increased soil carbon and nitrogen contents and reduced runoff, soil erosion and nutrient loss. Soil erosion totalled less than 7 t ha^–1, but enrichment ratios were often greater than 2 resulting in up to 27 kg N ha^–1 and 178 kg C ha^–1 being lost in sediment. Up to an extra 250 mm of water per year infiltrated the soil with organic additions and was available for crop water use or percolation to groundwater. The results show that there are good opportunities for reducing degradation and increasing productivity on farms.     

淹水稻田氮的损失

A field microplot experiment was conducted during the tillering stage of paddy rice to investigate nitrogen(N) Iosses from flooded rice fields following fertilizer application. After application of ammonium bicarbonate, most of nitrogen in the flood water was present as NH₄-N and its concentration varied widely with time. Concentrations of both NO₃-N and NO₂-N in the floodwater were low due to the weakened nitrification. Under flooded anaerobic reducing conditions, soil solution concentrations of NO₃-N and NH₄-N were nothigh, ranging from 0.6 mg L^-1 to 4.8 mg L^-1, and decreased with soil depth. However, the ground water wasstill contaminated with NO₃-N and NH₄-N. Rainfall simulation tests showed that the N losses via runoff inrice fields were closely related to the time intervals between fertilizer applications and rainfall events. Whena large rain fell for a short period after fertilizer application, the N losses via runoff could be large, which could have a considerable effect on surface water quality. Both irrigation and N fertilizer application must be controlled and managed with great care to minimize N losses via runoff from agricultural land.     

Soil erosion under simulated rainfall in relation to phenological stages of soybeans and tillage methods in Lages, SC, Brazil

Soil tillage may increase vulnerability to water erosion, whereas no tillage and other conservation cultivation techniques are viewed as strategies to control soil erosion. The objective of this research was to quantify runoff and soil losses by water erosion under different soil tillage systems at the Santa Catarina Highlands, southern Brazil. A field study was carried out using a rotating-boom rainfall simulator with 64 mm h⁻¹ rainfall intensity on a Typic Hapludox, between April 2003 and May 2004. Five rainfall tests were applied along successive cropstages. Surface cover was none (fallow) or soybean (Glycine max, L.). Five treatments were investigated, replicated twice. These treatments were conventional tillage on bare soil (BS) as a control treatment and the following treatments under soybean: conventional tillage (CT), no tillage over burnt crop residues on never before cultivated land (NT-B), no tillage over desiccated crop residues, also on never before cultivated land (NT-D) and traditional no tillage over desiccated crop residues on a soil tilled 4 years before this experiment (NT-PT). Water losses by surface runoff seemed to be more influenced by vegetative crop stadium than by tillage system and consequently a wide range of variation in surface runoff was found, following successive cropstages. The most efficient tillage system in reducing surface runoff and soil losses was no tillage, particularly the NT-PT treatment. Sediment losses were more influenced by tillage system than water losses. In the NT-B, NT-D and NT-PT treatments the rate of sediment losses along the crop vegetative cycle showed a tendency to increase from the first to the second cropstages and later to decrease from the third cropstage onwards. In the conventionally tilled treatment (CT) soil losses were greater than in any of the no tillage treatments (NT-D, NT-B and NT-PT) during the initial growth periods, but at the end of the vegetative period differences in sediment rates between tilled and non-tilled treatments tended to be smaller. In the BS control treatment, soil losses progressively increased following the vegetative growth season of soybean.     

洱海北部地区不同轮作农田氮、磷流失特性研究

为明确洱海北部地区不同轮作模式下农田氮、磷流失特性,客观评价环境污染风险。试验在洱海北部地区沿弥苴河和罗时江流域的7个乡镇进行。采用定点取样与实地调研相结合的方法进行多点重复监测,调查不同轮作模式、轮作周期内田面水和沟渠水的氮、磷含量变化情况,研究不同轮作模式下氮、磷污染的负荷及其影响因素。结果表明,田面水中,不同轮作模式下氮素的流失差异显著且以水溶态为主,可溶性氮浓度以大蒜水稻模式最高,油菜水稻模式最低,其它轮作模式居中分布;降雨径流氮流失量以大蒜水稻模式最高。磷素流失总量偏低,且以泥沙结合态为主,轮作模式间无显著差异。田面水质劣于沟渠水,田面水对沟渠水存在不同程度增荷作用;农田水对沟渠水总氮和总磷的增荷率分别为73%和82%,其中追肥是导致农田水对沟渠水增荷的关键因素。本研究中,大蒜水稻是洱海流域农田氮、磷流失风险最高的种植模式;蚕豆水稻比大蒜水稻模式减少氮素流失风险38%。应综合考虑环境效益和经济效益,合理安排种植结构,为洱海流域种植结构调整、控制农田面源污染提供参考。     

稻-麦轮作条件下2种施肥模式作物产量和农田氮磷径流流失比较

稻-麦轮作是太湖流域典型的集约化粮食作物种植体系,化肥用量大,氮磷流失控制广为关注。采用大区田间对比试验,研究了习惯施肥(FP)和优化控制施肥(CM)2种施肥模式对作物产量及氮磷肥料偏生产力的影响,同时探讨了2种施肥模式下农田径流水中各形态氮、磷的特征和径流氮、磷损失的差异。结果表明:优化控制施肥水稻和小麦地上部总生物量、籽粒产量、植株地上各部位养分(氮磷钾)含量及积累量与习惯施肥差异不显著(P>0.05);优化控制施肥水稻和小麦的氮肥偏生产力显著大于习惯施肥(P<0.05),磷肥偏生产力也相似。稻季和麦季优化控制施肥径流水中各形态氮、磷浓度小于习惯施肥,甚至达到显著水平(P<0.05);稻季、麦季和完整轮作期优化控制施肥总氮、总磷的累积流失量显著小于习惯施肥(P<0.05)。优化控制施肥模式不仅能保持水稻和小麦的籽粒产量,而且能显著减少稻-麦轮作体系的氮磷流失,可以在实际农业生产中加以推广和利用。     

EFFECT OF SOIL BUNDS ON RUNOFF,SOIL AND NUTRIENT LOSSES,AND CROP YIELD IN THE CENTRAL HIGHLANDS OF ETHIOPIA

The effects of soil bunds on runoff, losses of soil and nutrients, and crop yield are rarely documented in the Central Highlands of Ethiopia. A field experiment was set up consisting of three treatments: (i) barley‐cultivated land protected with graded soil bunds (Sb); (ii) fallow land (F); and (iii) barley‐cultivated land without soil bund (Bc). For 3 years (2007–2009), the effect of soil bunds on runoff, losses of soil and nutrients, and crop productivity was studied. Daily runoff and soil and nutrient losses were measured for each treatment using standard procedures while barley yield was recorded from the cultivated plots. The results showed that Sb brought about significant reduction in runoff and soil losses. Plots with Sb reduced the average annual runoff by 28 per cent and the average annual soil loss by 47 per cent. Consequently, Sb reduced losses of soil nutrients and organic carbon. However, the absolute losses were still high. This implies the need for supplementing Sb with biological and agronomic land management measures to further control soil erosion. Despite these positive impacts on soil quality, Sb do not increase crop yield. Calculated on a per‐hectare basis, Sb even reduce crop yield by about 7 per cent as compared with control plots, which is entirely explained by the reduction of the cultivable area by 8·6 per cent due to the soil bunds. Suitable measures are needed to compensate the yield losses caused by the construction of soil bunds, which would convince farmers to construct these land management measures that have long‐term beneficial effects on erosion control. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

稻-麦轮作条件下两种施肥模式对作物产量 和农田氮磷径流流失的比较研究

稻-麦轮作是太湖流域典型的集约化粮食作物种植体系,化肥用量大,氮磷流失控制广为关注。本文采用大区田间对比试验研究了习惯施肥（FP）和优化控制施肥（CM）两种施肥模式对作物产量及氮磷肥料偏生产力的影响,同时探讨了两种施肥模式下农田径流水中各形态氮、磷的特征和径流氮、磷损失的差异。结果表明优化控制施肥水稻和小麦地上部总生物量、籽粒产量、植株地上各部位养分（氮磷钾）含量及积累量与习惯施肥差异不显著（P>0.05）;优化控制施肥水稻和小麦的氮肥偏生产力显著大于习惯施肥（P<0.05）,磷肥偏生产力也相似。稻季和麦季优化控制施肥径流水中各形态氮、磷浓度小于习惯施肥,甚至达到显著水平（P<0.05）;稻季、麦季和完整轮作期优化控制施肥总氮、总磷的累积流失量显著小于习惯施肥（P<0.05）。优化控制施肥模式不仅能保持水稻和小麦的籽粒产量,而且能显著减少稻-麦轮作体系的氮磷流失,可以在实际农业生产中加以推广和利用。     

基于DEM和SCS模型的四川盆地丘陵区局地径流研究

人类活动对产流的影响是水文科学研究的热点,如何采取有效的方法利用表面径流成为解决水资源危机的关键问题。以重庆市忠县拔山镇3个村为研究区,基于土地利用、土壤、降雨等信息,应用SCS模型对四川盆地丘陵区局地径流进行计算和分析。研究区径流空间分布与下垫面土地利用类型和土壤类型密切相关,下垫面单一的水域和裸地所形成的径流量大,而有作物的水田和旱地所形成的径流量较小;研究区径流年内分配相对集中,主要产生在4月至10月,占全年的90%以上,但整体上看,径流与降雨呈现一致性趋势;研究区年际径流量分布不均,呈现丰、枯水年交替变化的现象,年径流变差系数Cv值较小。研究结果还表明:SCS模型所需参数较少,并考虑了径流与土壤特性和土地利用情况的关系,是一种简洁且实用的径流计算方法;利用GIS软件,可使局地径流数据图像化,这使径流等水文过程更加简明和直观。因此,利用GIS等软件分析研究各个集水区径流的时空变化等规律,可为研究各个集水区内农业水资源布局等提供方法和参考,实用性和可操作性强。     

Soil erosion on Alfisols in Western Nigeria: IV. Nutrient element losses in runoff and eroded sediments

Nutrient element losses in runoff and eroded sediments were monitored during 1972 on different slopes and under different soil and crop management treatments. The experiments were conducted on 25 × 4 m field runoff plots, established on natural slopes of 1, 5, 10 and 15%. The soil and crop management treatments consisted of bare fallow (plowed), maize-maize (plowed and mulched), maize-maize (plowed), maize-cowpeas (no-till), and cowpeas-maize (plowed).Total loss of nutrient elements in runoff and eroded soil materials was significantly affected by slope and by soil and crop management treatments. Total annual nutrient element losses in runoff were 55 kg/ha for bare-fallow, 17 kg/ha for maize-maize (plowed), 12 kg/ha for cowpeas-maize (plowed), 2.3 kg/ha for maize-maize (plowed and mulched) and 4.3 kg/ha for maize-cowpeas (no-till). The concentration of nitrate in seepage water was two or three times higher than in surface water. Nutrient losses in eroded soil materials from the mulched and no-till treatments were negligible. From the plowed treatments, greatest losses were of organic matter and total nitrogen. The enrichment ratios were 2.4 times for organic carbon, 1.6 times for N, and 5.8 times for available phosphorus.     

基于模型的上海郊区地下水氮素非点源污染特征研究

农业非点源污染是造成上海郊区地下水污染的主要因素,定量分析预测农业生产过程氮素的迁移转化规律是有效控制地下水污染的重要环节。以上海市浦东新区新场镇果园村的桃园为研究对象,借助生物地球化学过程模型（DNDC）和长期水文影响评价模型（L-THIA）,基于连续观测数据,详细分析了农业生产过程中氮素造成的非点源污染,特别是对周边地表、地下水的影响。结果表明,地表水总氮均值达6.34mg·L-1,远劣于地表水Ⅴ类标准（≤2.0mg·L-1）;地下水中总氮均值达16.85mg·L^-1,远劣于地表水Ⅴ类标准（≤2.0mg·L^-1）。约有20%采样点硝态氮含量属于地下水Ⅴ类（〉30mg·L^-1）。野外检测数据表明,该区地表水、地下水污染均严重超标,不宜饮用。模型分析显示,水体污染源主要来自桃园生产中施用的肥料,其中就模拟结果的数值可以得出,大约年农田氮输入量的1.7%通过土壤径流进入地表水,约3.5%经过土壤渗漏进入地下水,实测地下水中氮含量占桃园总氮输入量的5.8%。因此,合理调整施肥措施和施肥结构是减少土壤-水体中氮素污染的有效途径。     

长江中游低丘黄壤坡面地表产流产沙规律初探

通过野外人工模拟降雨试验,得出湖北省象鼻嘴小流域内2个板栗林梯地、2个花生农地(梯地、坡地各1个)径流小区在同等雨强条件下的产流产沙过程变化特征。结果显示:在水热状况、土壤、小地形等条件较一致的前提下,4个径流小区的初损雨量、历时表现为板栗梯地1板栗梯地2花生梯地花生坡地;结合各径流小区产流产沙强度及累计过程线分析得出,梯地的水土保持效果明显优于坡地,坡地的产流产沙过程更为复杂;林地在拦蓄径流、增加入渗方面要明显优于农地;板栗梯地1,2的水沙流失特征差异显示出植被盖度、物种多样性等对地表产流产沙过程也有较大影响;各场雨的累计产流、产沙量与降雨历时之间符合Y=ax2+bx+c的多项式相关方程。     

洪泽湖地区麦稻两熟农田及杨树林地降雨径流对地下水水质的影响

农业氮磷养分流失已经成为地下水污染的重要原因之一,为了探究和比较麦稻两熟农田和杨树林地氮磷流失对地下水的影响,本文在洪泽湖河湖交汇区设置农田和杨树林监测小区和监测井,进行了为期1年的地表养分流失和地下水水质监测。结果表明：1）林地雨前雨后表层土壤含水量均小于麦田,麦田土壤含水量较雨前平均提高8.95%,林地提高4.05%。2）麦田和杨树林地表层土壤硝态氮、铵态氮及有效磷流失总量分别为63.53 mg·kg^-1、5.61 mg·kg^-1及57.43 mg·kg^-1和16.78 mg·kg^-1、2.45 mg·kg^-1及0.73 mg·kg^-1,稻季田面水硝态氮、铵态氮、可溶性磷和颗粒态磷流失总量为8.32 mg·L^-1、27.44 mg·L^-1、2.39 mg·L^-1和2.99 mg·L^-1,监测期内杨树林氮磷流失总量明显低于农田。3）农田表层养分流失量与降雨量存在密切关系,基本随降雨量增大呈对数增长,而杨树林几乎不受降雨影响。4）农田产生径流的理论最小降雨量（麦田：3.3 mm;稻田：4.2 mm）远小于杨树林地（22.8 mm）,麦田铵态氮、正磷酸盐浓度,稻田和杨树林地总氮、硝态氮、铵态氮、总磷、可溶性磷、正磷酸盐浓度与降雨量存在显著相关性。5）农田径流中养分浓度与地下水氮磷含量存在显著相关性（P<0.05）,而杨树林地地下水氮磷含量保持在相对稳定水平,与径流中养分浓度无明显相关性。与农田相比,林地能够更好地控制径流养分流失,缓解地下水污染,有利于农业面源污染的控制。     

灌排控制措施结合沟塘湿地改善水稻灌区排水水质的模拟分析

针对水稻灌区农田排水氮素输出影响水环境的问题,该研究以大运河扬州段沿运灌区为例,在大田监测的基础上,运用田间水文模型--DRAINMOD模拟分析不同田间灌排控制措施的减排效果,并探讨利用农田周边沟塘湿地净化排水,达到灌区小流域不同水质目标的水管理方案。结果表明,在研究区目前常规灌溉（定额为9 600 m3/hm2,合水深960 mm）和常规排水（排水沟深0.6 m,等效间距50 m）模式下,农田单位面积上的年均排水总量高达1 162 mm,是灌溉量与降雨量之和的59%;其中地表径流占比51%,仅有25%是由降雨造成的不可控部分。采取理想的避免地表径流的干湿交替控制灌溉措施（年均灌溉量320 mm）可以显著降低排水量和氨氮的输出,相较于常规灌溉模式,可削减55%的排水量和59%的氨氮输出。研究区农田控制排水削减排水总量的效果较差,且在一定程度上增加了地表径流。由于地表排水中氨氮浓度（2.85 mg/L）高于地下排水（其浓度为1.80 mg/L）,地表排水比例的提高会增加排水对氨氮的输出。从研究区小流域范围内沟塘湿地分布考虑,目前灌溉与排水量均过高,现有沟塘湿地不足以发挥作用;只有通过控制灌溉措施显著减少排水量以后,才有可能利用现存的湿地面积将排水中的氨氮浓度降低到地表水水质标准Ⅴ类水。因此,该研究建议在合理控制灌排水量的基础上,通过整合、优化灌区现有沟塘湿地资源来有效改善研究区农田排水水质。研究可为类似地区农田排水污染控制提供理论依据。     

Estimation of nitrogen and phosphorus losses to surface water and groundwater through the implementation of the SWAT model for Norwegian soils

Scope and Background

It is acknowledged that diffuse sources cause the most important nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) losses to the river system and substantially enrich the groundwater in nitrates. These losses arise primary from agricultural activities mainly fertilizer applications, and they are determined by soil attributes. In cold climates, winter conditions and freezing of soils may influence the infiltration capacity of the soil and thereby can have a serious effect on the partitioning of excess precipitation and subsequently on the soil and nutrient transportation. The purpose of this article is to investigate the behaviour of six widespread and different textured soil types, on nutrient (N, P) losses under cold climate conditions. The investigation was conducted in the Norwegian Vansjø-Hobølv catchment through the application of a physical model named Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT), taking into consideration the additional aspect of freezing soils during winter, which distinguishes Scandinavian from other European soils.

Methods

SWAT is a physical river basin model that was developed for the U.S.D.A. Agricultural Research Service, by the Blackland Research Center in Texas. In the current modeling approach the catchment was divided into 43 Hydrologic Response Units (HRUs) which consist of different combinations of the existed landcover and soil types. Nitrogen and phosphorus losses arising from these HRUs were estimated for the period 1990–2001 through the simultaneous simulation of water and sediment processes that are closely linked to the nutrient processes. The model took into account soil temperature in order to quantify water and nutrient transport to deeper layers, considering negligible downward movement when the soil temperature was under 0°C. It also simulated the aboveground development of the snowpack and the snowmelt processes on a daily basis. The six different soil types were distinguished in two groups according to their similarity in texture and other physical properties, one group of fine-textured soils and a group of coarse soils. The results were evaluated for different crop cultivations (barley, oats and wheat) of the aforementioned soils. Finally, the model was calibrated and validated by comparing predicted results with measured data.

Results and Discussion

Fine-textured soils caused significant runoff, sediment, total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP) yields to the river system while coarser soils were characterized by high water drainage and nitrates leaching. The first soil group caused a mean of 517 mm of runoff in annual basis, 200 mm higher than this arising from coarse soils. Moreover, 3 tonnes of sediments per hectare, 24.6 kgN/ha and 0.54 kgP/ha were lost annually to surface water from fine soils while the average respective losses originating from coarse soils were only 1.3 tn of sediments/ha, 13.6kgN/ha and 0.17kgP/ha. The sensitivity ranking of the soil types to TN and TP losses was silty-clay-loam>silty-loam>clay>loamy>sandy-loam>sandy. An average of 277 mm of water was percolated annually under the bottom of the soil profile in coarse soils causing the additional leaching of 5.6 kgN-NO₃/ha whereas the losses originating from fine-textured soils were 153 mm and 2.5 kg/ha respectively. According to their sensitivity in nitrates leaching, the six soil types were ranked in the following order: sandy>loamy>sandy-loam>silty-loam>silty-clay-loam>clay.

Conclusions and Perspectives

The results showed that even though under cold climate conditions, with monthly periods of average air-temperatures below zero, the overall amounts of annual TN and TP losses to surface waters as well as nitrates leaching to groundwater were considerable. This demonstrates that the cold climate conditions did not affect the long-term behavior of the six widespread Norwegian soils, which on an annual basis responded similarly to the respective European soils. According to the model’s estimations, infiltration with N and P transport still occur in wintertime, and comparing to other studies that reported similar results, different possible explanations were considered. The results demonstrate the need of considering the soil differentiation in Scandinavian countries similarly to the rest of Europe in order to apply mitigation measures against nitrogen and phosphorus losses to surface and groundwater.

     

江汉平原棉田地表径流氮磷养分流失规律

2008年和2009年连续2年设置田间试验,采用径流池收集对照与农民习惯施肥2种处理的地表径流,研究江汉平原区棉花种植模式下地表径流产生规律,氮、磷流失规律,肥料氮、磷流失系数及其影响因素。结果表明,江汉平原地区地表径流主要发生在3-8月降雨比较集中的时期,径流产生量随产流时段降雨量的增加而增加,年降雨产流系数平均为26.0%。2008年和2009年农民习惯施肥处理的氮流失量分别是36.14,89.52kg/hm2,磷流失量分别是0.42,10.07kg/hm2,氮、磷流失量的年际间差异较大。氮流失的主要形态是硝态氮,其2008年和2009年的流失量分别占氮流失量的92.8%和64.2%,其次是颗粒态氮,以铵态氮形式流失的只是极小一部分;磷主要以颗粒态磷形式流失,其次是可溶性磷,尤其在产流时段降雨量大的年份,颗粒态磷的流失量占到总磷的90%以上。综合2008-2009年的结果,肥料氮、磷的流失率分别为5.4%和3.1%。氮、磷的流失量主要受施肥、产流时段降雨量和作物覆盖率影响,施肥导致氮、磷养分流失量增加,产流时段降雨量越大,作物覆盖率越低,则氮、磷养分流失量越大。     

自然降雨条件下农田地表产流及氮磷流失规律研究

基于淮北平原自然降雨条件下2个连续汛期观测的降雨-径流试验数据,分析不同试验处理下农田地表产流规律和氮磷浓度及其构成,探讨地表径流氮磷浓度和流失量的时间变化过程及其分布差异。结果表明,当地农田地表径流氮磷浓度构成分别以颗粒态氮和可溶性磷为主,而可溶性氮中又以溶解性有机氮为主,且硝态氮是农田地表径流无机氮流失的主要成分。汛初7月不同土地利用方式下农田地表径流量及铵态氮、硝态氮、可溶性氮磷和颗粒态氮磷的浓度及流失量间的差异相对较小,但8月期间的差异却明显增加,低秆高密度作物种植模式下的相应流失量最低。在淮北平原夏季种植黄豆、棉花等矮秆高密度作物,可起到有效减少地表径流氮磷流失量的作用,减缓因农业非点源污染对地表水体富营养化产生的潜在威胁。     

紫色土区不同植物篱模式控制坡耕地氮素流失效应

为优选紫色土区控制农田氮磷等养分流失的复合农林模式,利用野外径流小区试验,结合室内分析与数理统计法研究了植物篱模式控制紫色土区坡耕地氮素流失效应。结果表明,植物篱模式减少了坡耕地总氮及各形态氮流失负荷,就总氮而言,20°坡耕地紫穗槐与香根草模式下年均总氮流失负荷分别比横坡农作模式降低92.4%、90.0%;13°坡耕地紫花苜蓿与蓑草模式的年均总氮流失负荷分别比横坡农作模式降低88.7%、83.9%。径流与泥沙流失量的减少与径流氮浓度的降低是植物篱控制坡耕地氮素流失的主要机制。紫穗槐、香根草、紫花苜蓿与蓑草植物篱模式可作为西南紫色丘陵区农业非点源氮素污染的源头控制技术,特别是20°以上坡耕地推广与实施灌木类植物篱模式,能长期有效地控制农田盈余氮素流失。     

Ecological intensification of cropping systems enhances soil functions,mitigates soil erosion,and promotes crop resilience to dry spells in the Brazilian Cerrado

Water scarcity threatens global food security and agricultural systems are challenged to achieve high yields while optimizing water usage. Water deficit can be accentuated by soil physical degradation, which also triggers water losses through runoff and consequently soil erosion. Although soil health in cropping systems within the Brazilian Cerrado biome have been surveyed throughout the years, information about soil erosion impacts and its mitigation are still not well understood; especially concerning the role of cropping system diversification and its effects on crop yield. Thus, the aim of this study was to assess whether ecological intensification of cropping systems –inclusion of a consorted perennial grass and crop rotation– could promote soil coverage and consequently decrease water erosion and soil, water, and nutrient losses. This work studied the effects of crop rotation and consorted Brachiaria, along with different levels of investment in fertilization on soil physical quality and on soil, water, and nutrient losses, and crop yields. Results proved that soybean monoculture (SS) is a system of low sustainability even under no-till in the Brazilian Cerrado conditions. It exhibited high susceptibility to soil, water, and nutrient losses, causing low crop yields. Our results showed that water losses in SS cropping system were approximately 10% of the total annual rainfall, and total K losses would require an additional 35% of K application. Conversely, ecological intensification of cropping systems resulted in enhanced soil environmental and agronomic functions, increased grain yield, and promoted soil and water conservation: high soil cover rate, and low soil, water and nutrient losses. Ecological intensification proved to be an adequate practice to boost crop resilience to water deficit in the Brazilian Cerrado.